Wandering: A Lina/Gourry Ficcie
by Shira
Summary: The title kinda speaks for itself... this is my first serious Lina/Gourry ficcie, so please don't flame me or anything, ks? ^_^
1. A Chapter Involving a VERY PO-ed Lina

This is my first serious Lina/Gourry ficcie, so forgive me if I make either of them OOC or anything, okay? 

Disclaimer: I don't own Slayers, though I wish I did, and if you don't the the routine by now, you never will ^_^ 

--- 

"Stupid jellyfish!" Lina shouted. It was right around 'that time of the month' and she was really pissed off at not being able to use her magic. For some reason, Gourry couldn't stop acting like his usual, stupid, idiotic self. "Get away from me!" she screamed as Gourry took a step closer to her. 

Gourry backed up cautiously. Lina was in one of her moods, and he didn't really want to bother her. They just kept walking in silence, Gourry making sure to stay behind the extremely ticked off red head. 

After a while, Gourry hurried ahead, and stood in front of Lina. "Lina, can I ask--" 

"BUZZ OFF!!" Lina shouted in his face, thunking him. "I'm TIRED, I'm HUNGRY, and I'm REALLY not in a great MOOD right now, so STAY OUT OF MY WAY!" 

Sighing, Gourry took his place behind Lina. 

Lina didn't know why she was so angry. Then she added everything up: They hadn't slept, because they had been walking for three days, because they couldn't find a town anywhere to get anything to eat. And since they had been on the road, she hadn't been able to get bath. Plus, it was 'that time of the month' and that never really made any other girl very happy. 

The silence of the forest was interrupted by Lina's growling stomach. She groaned, and stopped in her tracks. "I'm HUNGRY!!!!!" she screamed. 

"Hey, Lina--" 

"SHUT UP!!!" Lina shouted. She really didn't feel like listening to any of Gourry's stupid comments right then. "JUST STAY OUT OF MY SIGHT AND DON'T SAY ANYTHING, GOT IT?" she demanded. Then she resolutely started trudging ahead again. 

Gourry hung his head, and stared at the ground as they walked. He should learn better than to bug Lina while she was tired and hungry. But, of course, he was tired and hungry too. Then, also, he didn't have to worry about 'that time of the month' and so he wasn't quite as miserable as Lina was. 

Lina grumbled to herself as she forced herself to keep putting one foot in front of the other. Her hair was oily and dirty, her clothes were sticking to her from sweating, and her stomach growled loudly. 

As Gourry stared at Lina in front of him, he found himself thinking that she probably wouldn't even notice if he wasn't there. She was trapped in her own miserable, grumpy world for the time being. He considered walking off, and trying to find a town on his own, so he wouldn't have to put up with Lina's grumbling and shouting, but he decided against it. He was Lina's protector, after all, and he couldn't protect her if he wasn't with her. 

Lina cursed with each step. She stared at the ground, glaring at it like everything was its fault. She started noticing things around her. The birds were too cheerful, and the crickets were too loud. The sun was too hot, and the wind wasn't strong enough. And stupid Gourry hadn't made a single comment for a long time. 

She turned around to glare at Gourry. When he caught her staring at him, he put his hands up defensively, and asked, "What did I do?" 

Shaking her head, Lina turned to face forward, and kept walking. 

Ahead, Lina heard voices. Loud, drunken voices. And the clank of money, and the chink of beer canteens. There was shouting and singing. There was also the smell of roasting chicken. 

Her mouth drooling, Lina started running forward. 

Gourry noticed the smell, and ran after Lina. Pretty soon he caught up with her, and they ran side by side, shouting, "Chicken! Chicken! Chicken!" 

The small group of bandits in front of them stopped their talking and drinking, and looked up. They saw the hunger-driven pair of travelers, and stared. When the leader jumped up and shouted, "Run! It's Lina Inverse!" the entire bandit gang grabbed gold, beer, and supplies, and bolted away. 

Lina and Gourry both saw the single chicken roasting on the spit. They raced each other for it, each of them trying to get there first. They both reached it at the same time, and dove on top of it. They wrestled back and forth, throwing the usual insults at each other. Lina would have thrown more than insults, maybe a Fireball or two, but she couldn't use her magic. 

After a particularly vicious tug, Gourry managed to wrench the chicken out of Lina's death grip, and wolf it down in two bite. 

"YOU STUPID JELLYFISH!!" Lina screamed, kicking Gourry in the head. "THAT WAS MY FOOD! YOU GET AWAY FROM ME RIGHT NOW! I NEVER WANT TO SEE YOUR STUPID FACE EVER AGAIN!" 

Gourry, sincerely stricken and sorry, stood up, and took a step towards Lina, who was sulking with her knees drawn up to her chest. "Lina--" 

"I SAID GO AWAY!" Lina shouted. She didn't want to see that stupid jellyfish ever again. He ate her food, the only food she had even seen in three straight days. 

Knowing that Lina should never be disobeyed, or a harsh punishment would follow, Gourry turned slowly around, and walked back in the opposite direction. 

Lina grumbled to herself for a while, before she stalked over to a tent the bandits had left behind, went inside, and forced herself to go to sleep. She would double-time it tomorrow, and find a town to eat at, or else she'd have to hurt someone. 

AN: This is kinda short, I guess... the whole ficcie is going to be short once I finish it... Well, short compared to some of my other story ficcies. Please, R+R minna! ^_^ 

-Shira 


	2. My Very Short Chapter

Gourry walked dejectedly along the dirt trail. He scuffed his feet as he walked further and further away from Lina. He didn't want to go, of course. He had a duty to protect her. But if she said she never wanted to see him again, then she meant it. And he didn't want to suffer the consequences of not listening to what Lina said. 

After walking for a few hours, he decided to stop and sleep, seeing as Lina hadn't let him do so in several days. He found a small cave, and, tossing his replacement sword in a corner, lay down and slowly drifted off into an uneasy sleep. 

AN: I KNOW! I KNOW! It's short! Forgive me! But I'm doing things by a POV here, and I don't want it to get confusing, k? Not much has happened yet, has it? Oh, well... R&R folks! 

-Shira ^_^ 


	3. Finnaly! FOOD!

Lina yawned, and stretched when she woke up in the morning. She was much more cheerful, having had a decent night's sleep for once in a few days. She smiled, and rubbed her eyes. Lina crawled out of the tent, and looked around. 

The sun was shining, the birds were chirping, and it was a great day. She knew for a fact that she would get a huge meal today when she found a town. She had a gut instinct that told her she would find a town. 

Lina looked around for Gourry. There were three others tents around, and she searched each one to no avail. "Where'd he go?" Lina asked herself, her hands on her hips. She thought back to the night before. She recalled telling Gourry to go away, that she never wanted to see him again. "Did that stupid jellyfish take me seriously?" 

She sighed, and said, "Maybe he went ahead and found a town. He's waiting for me there. We'll eat, and then we'll keep going!" She perked up, and started following a side trail, which was left by the bandits. Since they had loot, they must have come from a town, meaning there was one nearby. 

Lina walked, almost jogging, for about half an hour, when she looked down from the hill she was climbing, and saw a town laid out below her. 

"FOOD!" Lina shouted. She ran down the other side of the hill, and charged into the town. She looked left and right for a tavern. When she found one, she plopped down in a chair, and shouted, "GIVE ME THREE SERVINGS OF EVERYTHING! AND HURRY UP!" 

The poor waitress carried in huge trays laden with food, one after another, and Lina devoured them as quickly as they came. After the food stopped coming, Lina ordered dessert, and finished it all off with a tall mug of coffee. Then she hurried upstairs to the baths, and dove in after throwing her clothes in a corner. 

"AH! This feels GREAT!" she said, relaxing in the hot waters. She put her arms behind her head, and sank down to her chin in the wonderfully soothing water. She closed her eyes, and let herself relish in the warm baths for near-on half an hour. It was then that she remembered Gourry. 

"I wonder where he got to?" she asked herself. "Oh, well! He'll show up tomorrow. He's probably staying at a different inn." 

Then she dragged herself out of the water, changed into some extremely comfortable woolen pajamas, and crawled into a feather bed. It took her less than a minute to fall asleep beneath the warm blankets. 

AN: Like I said, the whole POV thingy makes a lot of these chapters short! I'm sorry if it gets kind of annoying to some of you, but I gotta make this look right, ya know? Hehe... um... R&R? 

-Shira ^_^ 


	4. Poor Gourry! *sniffle*

Gourry woke up in the morning, and crawled out of the cave. His back was cramped from sleeping in a small place like that, and he had a crick in his neck from his sleeping position. He grabbed his sword, which he really liked, despite the fact that it wasn't the Sword of Light, and buckled it to his belt, before he started walking again. 

He wondered about things as he walked. Like, when Lina said she never wanted to see him again, did she mean never ever? He nodded to himself. When Lina said things, she meant it. She said never. It hurt him inside to think that he would never see Lina again. 

Gourry just sighed, and steeled himself against it. He had to find a place to get something to eat, or he wouldn't have any strength to go on. 

That night, he still hadn't found a place to eat at all, so he decided to stop somewhere for the night. There weren't any accessible caves or anything, so he settled on a clearing in the trees to the side of the road. 

It started raining just as he was about to fall asleep. In a matter of seconds, he was soaked to the bone, and was shivering with cold. He just curled up, and stayed under the sheltering trees. 

AN: The plot IS THERE everyone! Well, it will be soon! Trust me! ^_^;; 

-Shira 


	5. The Thunder Rolls, The Lightning Strikes...

Lina woke up in the middle of the night from a loud clap of thunder. She sat bolt upright, and looked out the window. There was a ferocious storm raging outside. She snuggled back in her blankets smugly, grateful that she wasn't outside in that weather. 

For some reason, that thought inspired thoughts of Gourry. She wondered if he really had found his way to the town, and if he was staying at an inn, or if he was stuck out in that awful weather. 

"He's fine," she told herself a little uneasily. "I'll look for him tomorrow if he doesn't show up." And with that, she fell asleep again. 

***

Throughout most of the night, Gourry couldn't sleep. He was too cold and wet, and the thunder was too loud. At times, he almost didn't even feel the cold or the wet anymore, and he could almost fall asleep, but then a flash of lightning and a clap of thunder would startle him, and the cold, wet rain, and the harsh wind would become real again, and sleep would escape him. 

In the morning, the rain still pounded, and the wind still roared. Gourry made himself stand up, and start walking. He had to find shelter from the rain, somewhere he could stop and rest and eat. 

AN: Both of these ended up being too short for their own chapter, so, did I still manage to get in the POV thingy? 

Amelia: Yes, you did! But when do I come in? 

Shira: Sorry, Ame-chan! This isn't your ficcie... 

Amelia: In the name of Jusitce, I demand you put me in this ficcie! *pose* 

Shira: Well, in the name of Truth, I have to truthfully say that you won't appear in this ficcie... not that I know of yet, anyway... 

AN: Anyway, R&R minna! 

-Shira ^_^ 


	6. And Our Characters Succum to Loneliness

Lina woke up in the morning, all the better after her wonderful meal and the relaxing bath. She stretched and yawned, before she went over to her mirror. She took a glance out the window just to see that it was still raining. 

After she got dressed, she stormed down the stairs, and ordered four breakfast combos. She ate it all very quickly, and leaned back in her chair contentedly. Then she reminded herself that she said she'd go look for Gourry. 

"It's raining," Lina said. "I don't want to go out there. I'll go when the rain stops." 

***

For the rest of the day, the rain pounded down on Gourry. His hair was plastered to his head, and his clothes clung to him everywhere. The biting wind didn't help at all, coming in sudden gusts, and chilling him to the bone. 

Still, he kept walked, and hoping for a town. He wondered if Lina had found a place to stay for the night, and figured she did. He considered going off in the direction Lina went in, but then he might run into her along the way. And she said she didn't want to see him again, so he couldn't go that way. 

When it got too dark to see, and the wind and rain got steadily worse, Gourry figured he would try to find a place to rest. Once again, he couldn't find any shelter, so he curled up under some trees again. 

***

When the rain didn't stop, Lina said to herself, "I'll look for him tomorrow. He's found an inn by now, and he's probably stuffing his face. Yeah, I'll find him tomorrow." 

Lina had a wonderful day. She stayed at the tavern, eating and drinking coffee, going up to the luxurious baths, and, when night came around again, she fell asleep in her wonderfully soft feather bed and down comforter. She smiled with content, and ignored the storm outside. 

***

Again, Gourry couldn't sleep. When he decided to start walking again in the morning, he found that he had a terrible headache, and a very stuffy nose. He just stood up, and forced himself to keep going. If he found a town, he could get away from the rain, and then he'd lose his headache. It was probably just from his lack of sleep. 

As Gourry walked, trudging through the mud, he started thinking of Lina again. It had only been a couple of days, but he already missed her. He wondered how much he would miss her later, when it had been months and years since he had seen her. He tried not to think of her, but she kept popping back into his mind again. 

It had only been, what, three days? And already Lina was the only thing he could think about. He sincerely wished he hadn't eaten her chicken, so she wouldn't have sent him away. 

Gourry sneezed violently, and rocked on his feet. He almost slipped in the slick mud, but he balanced himself, and kept going. 

AN: Poor Gourry! Sorry, Gourry-lovers! Anyway, the plot is evolving... can you see it yet? It's there, if you look close enough! Remember, this is a ficcie written by a hopeless romantic, so it's got to end happily ever after, k? 

-Shira ^_^ 


	7. I Wish...

Lina woke up again the next morning, and repeated exactly what she had done the day before. She looked outside, and saw it was still raining. But she was starting to worry about Gourry. She made up her mind to go out and look for him. 

She managed to wheedle a raincoat out of the innkeeper for at least half the price, and headed out into the rain, and oil slicked cloak over her shoulders, the hood up over her head. 

Lina checked every inn, tavern, and hot springs in the area, but went back to her own tavern that night alone and at a loss. 

Where could he be? He must have gone off in this direction. Certainly he wouldn't have gone back the way he came-- Would he? 

Lina cursed herself for telling Gourry she never wanted to see him again. She was stupid! She knew better than to say something like that to Gourry! Of course he would take it literally. Knowing that, he might even have gone off in the other direction, thinking that way she wouldn't end up seeing him. 

Skipping the baths, Lina went straight to her room. She changed into her pajamas, which didn't seem to give her much comfort, and curled up in her bed, which didn't seem as welcoming. If Gourry did go in the other direction, he would still be out in the rain, and wouldn't reach the town until late the next day. 

Lina buried her face in her pillow, and cursed herself over and over. She was worried about that stupid blond jellyfish. She wished she knew where he was. She wished she hadn't said that. She wished... 

She sternly told herself that wishing wouldn't get her anywhere. What was done, is done, and she would just have to go out and find Gourry. She turned around, and stared up at the ceiling. She told herself sharply that Gourry was a big, tough guy, and he could take care of himself. And she would find him tomorrow. 

AN: That's all I have for now! I'll keep working on it, but I'm afraid I'll have to leave you in suspense until I can get the next part up! Gomen nasai, minna! 

-Shira ^_^ 


	8. Blackness, Sickness, and Loneliness

I'm working on it! Usually I don't put up ficcies till I've finished with them, but in this case, I figured that I might get more reviews if I put it up before I finish... ^_^;; 

That night, Gourry didn't even bother trying to sleep. It was still storming, and his cold had gotten worse, so he knew it wasn't worth it to just sit in the rain. So through the night, he just kept walking, hoping he was staying on the trail in the near-pitch dark. 

It was just nearing dawn when Gourry saw the town they had left about a week ago. He carefully made his way down the trail towards the town. His head was pounding like a forge in a smithy, and his eyes were burning. His nose was stuffy and runny, and he had gotten a terrible cough. But he had reached the town. 

Just before he entered the town limits, he was set upon by a sudden bough of dizziness. He lost his balance, and fell face-down on the ground. He felt hot and cold all over at the same time. He tried to get back up, but after several days without food or sleep, plus his tremendous cold, he had no strength. 

Before Gourry could get up, blackness swept over him, and he was carried off into unconsciousness. 

Off of a side trail came a fleeing gang of bandits, running away from a certain bandit killer they had happened upon several days ago. The leader of the group spotted the unconscious mercenary lying in the muddy road, and pointed. "That guy was with the bandit killer," he said. 

Together, the bandits made their way over to him cautiously. They didn't want to risk waking him up. The gang warily took a few steps closer. He wanted payback for the blond eating his chicken. Using an old Orihalcon statue, the gang leader bashed Gourry upside the head once, twice, three times. Then, snickering, the bandits fled into the forest. 

Mixed in with the dirt and rain, a small pool of blood formed on the dirt trail. 

***

Lina woke up early the next morning. She ate a quick breakfast, packed some extra food, and set out with her supplies and her rain coat. The rain had almost stopped, slowing to a steady shower instead of the raging storm. 

She retraced her steps back to the trail, and started following it to the past town. After a while, Lina mentally kicked herself. She wasn't thinking straight. Maybe she hadn't eaten enough. Lina shrugged, and shouted, "Ray Wing!" She made sure to fly low, in case a stray bolt of lightning appeared. 

Making better time flying, Lina got at least halfway to the town in the first day. She stopped to make camp, pitching a tent she brought with her. She set it up in a clearing between trees. She curled up in her tent and tried to sleep, but images of Gourry kept haunting her. She felt it was her fault he left. "It was," she said. "I was pissed off, and I told him I never wanted to see him again. Then..." Her eyes started watering a little. "Then that stupid blond jellyfish took me seriously..." 

Angry with herself, Lina forced back her tears. She had to get to sleep so she could find Gourry in the morning. She knew he would be in the next town for sure. She would find him there, no matter what. 

***

A young woman with short brown hair was walking along the trail, aiming to get nuts and berries from the woods while the rain settled down. As she stepped cautiously up the hill, she noticed something lying on the trail in the mud. She gasped when she noticed it was a person. 

She quickened her step, and, slipping in the mud once, reached the man lying on the ground. She looked down at him, and noticed he had an awful head wound. She turned him over gently, and put a hand to his face. He was burning up. 

Urgently, she threw her basket down, and pulled the man into a standing position. Then she put his arm around her shoulder, and her arm around his back. In this way, she half-carried, half-dragged the man to her house on the edge of town. 

Her house was large and ornate, with a wrap-around porch, and wide double doors. She pulled the bell string, since she couldn't open the door and keep the man upright at the same time. 

Her butler answered the door. He gasped, and said, "M'lady, what...?" 

"No questions," she said. "I found this poor man lying in the road. We must help him." With the help of her butler, they managed to get the man to a spare room. The woman left the room while her butler changed the man into dry clothes, and then went back in there. She bandaged up his head, and gave him feverfew and other herbs to soothe what must have been an awful cold. 

That night, the woman didn't leave the man's side. She was terribly worried about the poor stranger, and it would weigh heavily on her conscience if he died. 

It's getting there... -Shira ^_^ 


	9. The Priest Is Back... Again

Lina woke up in the morning, and hurried out of her tent. The first thing she noticed was that it was no longer raining. She packed up her tent, and ate a hurried breakfast. She knew she would find Gourry today in the town. She just had to. 

She had just started out on the road, when something appeared right in front of her. Lina backed up, and gasped. Then she glared when she recognized who it was. 

"Xellos," she said through gritted teeth. "What the hell are you doing here?" 

Xellos smiled, and help up a finger. He opened his mouth to say something, but Lina interrupted him, saying, "I know, I know! It's a secret!" 

"Am I that predictable, Lina?" Xellos asked, smiling. 

Lina nodded. "Yeah, you are." Then she remembered that she had to get going. "Sorry, but I've got to go," she said to Xellos, going around him on the trail. 

"I wouldn't be so sure about that," Xellos said. 

Slowly, Lina turned around, and asked suspiciously, "What do you mean?" 

Xellos, grinning, said, "I don't think you have to go to that town. You won't find exactly what you're looking for. Or, rather, who." 

"How do you know what I'm looking for?" Lina demanded, almost blushing. 

Xellos waggled his finger, and said, "That is a secret. But, I assure you, the person you're looking for is no longer in that town... Not from a certain point of view." Then he tilted his head as if he was listening to something, and said, "I'm afraid my master calls for me. Farewell, Lina! It was nice meeting you again!" 

"XELLOS!" Lina shouted as Xellos disappeared. She cursed, and said, "How does he know Gourry isn't there anymore? How does he even know I'm looking for Gourry? OH! That stupid priest gets on my nerves sometimes." 

Lina debated for a while, and decided to keep going to the town. She argued with herself while she walked, not thinking enough to fly. She wondered if maybe Xellos was telling the truth, and Gourry wasn't at the town. Then she would have wasted all that time looking for him. Lina pushed that away. She had a gut feeling that Gourry was in the town ahead. She knew it. 

She reached the town that night. She found it almost amusing that this town was so important to her, yet she didn't know the name of it. 

The first thing Lina did was check out as many taverns and inns as she could. She made it to three before they all started closing. She went to an inn, and ordered a big dinner. Surprisingly, she didn't eat much. Mostly, she just stared sadly at her food, and took an occasional bite now and then. 

The waitress had been there the last time Lina and Gourry had come, and was staring in astonishment when Lina didn't pig out. She knew there must be something wrong. Then the waitress noticed that the tall blond wasn't with the red head. She figured that must be it, and left Lina to herself. 

Lina walked slowly up the stairs when she got tired of staring at her food. Thankfully, the kind waitress hadn't charged her for the huge meal she didn't eat. 

Sadly, Lina changed into the warm flannel pajamas, and slipped in the bed and under the warm covers. Before she fell asleep, she couldn't help but wonder where Gourry was and if he was okay. She turned over to her side, facing away from the door. She felt a single, hot tear slide down her cheek, and land on the down-filled pillow. 

"Gourry... Where are you?" 

*sniffle* Tear-starter... just keep in mind that this WILL end on a happy note! It has to! -Shira ^_^ 


	10. Forgetting my Love: Lonely Tears

He had a pounding headache. He didn't dare open his eyes, something inside him told him it would make it worse. The funny thing was, he didn't know where he was. He didn't even know who he was. 

Taking a chance, he opened his eyes slowly. The light shot through his eyes like knives, and he instantly closed them, groaning. He put a hand over his eyes to block out the light and the pain. 

"He's awake," someone said. It was only a whisper, but even that crashed through his pounding head like wardrums. 

Whoever had spoken forced him to take a drink of a cool, tangy liquid, before he drifted off into blackness again. 

It was only hours later when he woke up again, but it felt like an eternity to him. This time, he headache was almost gone, and he could open his eyes without pain. He looked around, and saw a pretty woman staring at him with big, brown eyes. She had short brown hair, and a very pretty smile. 

"Who... Who are you?" he asked. 

The woman smiled, and said, "Don't talk. You've been very ill. Here, drink think." She held out a cup, and made him drink. He never thought water could taste so good. 

After he had drank two glasses of water, the woman helped him sit up, and sat on the edge of the bed. 

"To answer your question," the woman said. "My name is Rayia. You are at my house. I found you on the road,a nd you were very sick, and injured." Rayia smiled. He liked her smile. It lit up her eyes, and she even had dimples. "Now, can you tell me who you are?" 

"I am..." He struggled to find an answer. He couldn't remember. He couldn't remember anything. His mind was blank. When he tried to think about anything that had ever happened to him before, his mind just met blackness. "I... I don't remember who I am," he said. 

Raiya's smile faded. "Oh, dear. That can't be good," she said worriedly. 

Just then, a door on the other side of the room opened, and a man wearing a suit entered the room. "M'lady," the man said, bowing. 

"Garedt," Raiya said. "Garedt, come over here. This poor man can't remember who he is. What's wrong with him?" 

Garedt reminded him somewhat of a butler of sorts. Garedt ran over to where Raiya and the man were, and said, "M'lady, this man suffered a bad blow to the head. I'm afraid he has amnesia. Not much is known about it, except that it can either go away, or it can't." 

"Is there any way to help him remember?" Raiya asked. 

Frowning, Garedt said, "It's been heard that if something powerfully emotional--something involving their past--happens, then they will start to remember." Then Garedt sighed, and his shoulders fell. "But, seeing as we know nothing of this man's past, there's nothing we can do. I'm sorry, M'lady." 

Rayia nodded sadly, and said, "Yes, I understand." Then she turned back to the man, and said, "Don't worry, we'll take care of you. Until you remember, do you mind if I give you a name?" 

He shook his head slowly, not minding at all. Raiya certainly was pretty. And her name was lovely. 

Raiya thought for a moment, before suggesting, "Tanil? I've always loved that name." 

He nodded, and smiled. Any name Raiya picked was fine with him. 

"Good," Raiya said, smiling. "Dont worry, Tanil. We'll do everything we can to help. But you must stay in bed for a few more days until you're rested." 

Read and Review, minna! -Shira ^_^ 


	11. A Suspicion to the Truth

"Gourry!" Lina gasped as she woke up with a start. She looked around, and found herself still in the inn room, in the large bed. "A dream..." she said quietly. "That means, Gourry is still..." 

Slowly and sadly, Lina got dressed, and went downstairs. She considered ordering a breakfast, but she discovered that she had no appetite. She simply walked outside into the now clear and sunny day, and started asking around taverns and inns. 

She walked into one tavern, and asked the man behind the bar if he had seen a tall blond man walking around. "No, ma'am, I haven't, but I heard tell that a lovely lady found a man like that on the road. Word says his name's Tanil." 

"Thank you anyway," Lina had said, and she had walked slowly back out into the streets. 

***

Tanil was able to leave his bed the next day, and was shown around the general area by Raiya. Most of his attention was on the young woman at his arm, not the town around him. Once, when he was actually paying attention to the town, he thought he saw a flash of red hair turn a corner. This inspired a sudden memory. He tried to recall it, but the memory vanished as soon as it had come. 

The next day, Raiya had sent him to the Market Square to sell some of their goods. It seemed that Raiya and her butler, Garedt, trusted him greatly. They sent him on errands around occasionally, and Raiya let him in on her deepest secrets. 

Tanil felt wanted and needed in the town. People around the town started to get to know him, and they trusted him as well. He gave them fair prices at Market, and they liked that. He made more money at the Market than Raiya ever had. There seemed to be something about him that just inspired people to like him. 

Raiya had told Tanil once that there was an innocence in his eyes. It must have been that innocence that inspired people to trust him. 

***

For the next few days, Lina just wandered aimlessly around. The waitress at the inn grew rapidly concerned, because Lina wasn't eating anything, and was losing weight. As every day wen by, Lina's eyes grew darker, and she grew thinner. She stopped talking to anyone, and there were some people, elderlies mostly, that liked to gossip, saying that the poor girl was a ghost searching for her long lost lover. 

The waitress guessed that the elderlies weren't that far off. She had a pretty good idea that it was the tall blond Lina was looking for. 

Lina, meanwhile, felt very empty inside. She couldn't find Gourry. Whenever she found the will to inquire about a tall blond man, everyone started talking about a man named Tanil. After a while, Lina just stopped asking. Then she stopped talking to people. The only words she ever spoke were when she was alone in her room. And it was always the same word over and over: Gourry. 

She couldn't get him off her mind. She couldn't find him. It was her fault he ran off. Something still told her that Gourry was in this town somewhere. She just had to find him. 

Every night, before Lina fell asleep, she would cry into her pillow, feeling useless as each day passed without success. 

The waitress would stand outside Lina's door some nights, and listen to her crying. It was after this that the waitress assured herself that it was all about the young man. 

One night, after Lina had finished crying, she started thinking. She couldn't find Gourry. She knew he was here, but she couldn't seem to find him. She was useless. It was her fault Gourry had left, and she couldn't find him. She couldn't do anything. No one here cared about her. Gourry didn't even come to look for her. What was the point of living? What if Gourry didn't want her to find him? What if he wanted to be left alone, away from her forever? 

For the first time in over a week, Lina said something other than Gourry's name. "Maybe I should just... die..." 

Unfortunately, this was one of the nights the sweet waitress was listening outside Lina's door. She heard what Lina had said, and gasped. She decided she had to take matters into her own hands before poor Lina went too far. 

R&R Minna! Hope you like it! Like I said, a romantic ficcie, ne? -Shira ^_^ 


	12. A Wonderful Discovery

Tanil left the house as usual, and smiled sweetly at Raiya before he left. He didn't have to go to Market Square today, so he decided just to wander around. He had heard gossip about a red headed ghost looking for a lost lover. 

He didn't believe this story, of course, but there was something about red hair that always seemed to strike a spark in his memory, so he went off to think about it. He walked through a huge garden behind Raiya's house, and kept thinking. 

Tanil liked the life he lived now. He was liked, trusted, and he had wonderful friends, and a nice place to stay. He had a worthwhile job, and the town was a wonderful, though small, place. But... His past still tugged at him, pulled him back. He had to try to remember what had been before all this. He knew it hadn't just happened. He had to have been somewhere before here, there had to be something. And he desperately wanted to know what. 

On that particular day, Tanil accidentally bumped into a young woman. "Pardon me, miss," he said politely, just as Raiya had taught him. 

The woman had long blond hair, and wore an apron over a green dress. She looked like a waitress. The woman looked up at him, and gasped. "You," she said, pointing. 

"What about me?" Tanil asked confusedly. 

Without another word, the woman ran off, a hand over her mouth. 

Tanil wondered if he used to know her, or what had inspired such a reaction from her. He shrugged it away, and continued wandering. 

***

The waitress ran back to the inn. That was him! That was the man Lina was looking for! Everyone called that man Tanil. Why? It didn't matter! She had found him! Now she could go tell Lina. 

Without any regard to anyone or anything else, the waitress stormed up the stairs, and knocked on Lina's door. When there was no answer, the waitress panicked. She remembered Lina saying she wanted to die the night before. 

The waitress opened the door slowly, and found Lina sitting on her bed, her blanket around her shoulders, and crying softly. 

"Miss Lina?" she asked quietly. 

Lina looked up, and wiped her eyes. She didn't say anything, so the waitress walked in, and closed the door behind her. 

Lina wondered what the waitress wanted to say. No one wanted to talk to her anymore. What did this waitress want with her? She heard the gossip. She was a ghost. She had looked in the mirror once, and noticed that she certainly looked the part. Her face had gone pale, her eyes were hollow, and she was suddenly very thin. 

"Miss Lina," the waitress said. "I-- I think I've found the man you've been looking for." 

Lina gasped. Her eyes widened, and her heart and hopes soared. She faced the waitress with tears of ecstasy in her eyes. "Where?" she managed to ask around her constricted throat. 

The waitress smiled a little, and said, "Everyone calls him Tanil. He lives on the other side of town, Miss Lina." 

"Gourry..." Lina said. She jumped out of bed, and started looking for her clothes. The waitress slipped out of the room, glad she could help the poor dear. Then the waitress ran down the stairs to prepare Lina something to eat. Lina hadn't eaten in days, maybe weeks. 

Lina's heart was beating extremely fast in her chest. She would finally see Gourry again. It hadn't even been that long, maybe a little over a month, but she missed him as thought it had been years. She managed to get dressed, and hurried down the stairs. The young waitress who had helped her, intercepted her, and told her she had to eat something. 

Reluctantly, Lina agreed. She had lost too much weight, and her clothes were almost hanging off of her. She managed to eat second helpings of a normal-sized breakfast, but no more than that. Her heart was pounding, her mind was racing, and her stomach was fluttering. She had to find Gourry. 

The waitress surprised Lina by casting a Recovery spell on the sorceress. Lina felt better after that, and went to her room to look in the mirror. Her face wasn't hollow and sunken anymore, and her eyes were bright like usual. 

She used a brush, and quickly untangled her hair, before she dashed down the stairs again. Lina shouted a thank you to the waitress, before she ran out the door, and across town, looking for Gourry. 

It's nearing the end! Trust me! I think the ending is... Well, you'll have to decide for yourself! R+R! -Shira ^_^ 


	13. And They Lived Happily Ever After

AN: GOMEN NASAI! I'M SORRY! I thought I had posted the last chapter! I left you all hanging! But thank you for all the nice reviews! Sorry again... Here's the end... 

--- 

Tanil walked slowly across a bridge that went over a stream. He was still trying to figure out his past. He stared up at the sky as he walked, not watching where he was going. Everyone stepped out of his way, most of them used to him daydreaming as he wandered through town. 

But someone else must not have been watching where they were going, because either he ran into them, or they ran into him. 

Tanil looked down to apologize, but stopped with his mouth wide open. There was a red headed girl with bright eyes looking up at his with an expression surpassing happiness on her face. 

***

Lina looked up into Gourry's eyes. Her own eyes filled up with tears at the sight of him. "Gourry..." she said quietly. 

***

Tanil's mind was working overtime. Gourry... he remembered that name... Where? Was that his name? Yes! It was his own name! It wasn't Tanil, it was Gourry! This girl... Who was she? 

***

Lina's heart sank when Gourry didn't seem to recognize her. "G-gourry?" she asked quietly. Now her tears turned to sadness. Maybe it wasn't Gourry. No! It had to be! It was Gourry! No one else had eyes like his! There was no one in the world that looked like Gourry, and this was him! "Gourry? It's me..." 

***

Gourry started remembering. He remembered battling mazoku and dragons. He remembered a chimera named Zelgadis... A princess named Amelia... A shrine maiden named Sylphiel... A priestess named Filia... And... And... A sorceress named... 

"Lina...?" he said, testing the name. He looked down at the petite redhead. "Lina?" Memories started flooding through him. He remembered everything. Her laugh, her shout, her smile. His heart jumped in his chest. "Lina!" 

***

Lina smiled, and the tears flowed freely. "Gourry!" She rushed up, and threw her arms around his neck, crying into his shoulder. 

"Lina!" Gourry said. He wrapped his arms around her comfortingly. He never remembered doing that before. They embraced there on the bridge. Gourry wanted to hug her tighter, but she seemed so frail under his arms, that he didn't dare. 

Lina didn't care that she was crying. She had found Gourry. She found him at last. Tears of pain, sadness, anger, but, most of all, joy, ran down her face, and soaked Gourry's shirt. Neither of them cared. They were together again. And they would never be seperated, not ever. 

***

Raiya watched this from a distance. She felt her eyes welling up with tears as well. She had hoped that Tanil would fall in love with her, and they would be married. It seemed almost about to happen, too. But then he remembered. She reasoned that he must have been in love with that young woman before his accident. 

***

The waitress smiled, tears of joy in her eyes. She nodded to herself, glad that she could help Lina. The two of them were together again. That was all that mattered to the two of them. 

Elderlies were coming out of taverns and houses to watch the couple embrace. They whispered amongst themselves that the ghost had claimed young Tanil to be her lover. They were disgusted and intrigued at the same time. 

***

But Lina and Gourry didn't notice, and didn't care. They had found each other. "I'm so sorry," Lina sobbed, and she meant it. "I didn't mean what I said back then..." 

"I'm sorry, too," Gourry said. "I shouldn't have taken you so seriously. Lina, I..." He hugged Lina tighter. "I love you," he whispered. He felt a single tears slip down his cheek as he said this. 

In reply, Lina backed up, and kissed Gourry. The entire town was watching them. Lina found it extremely ironic that the most important times of her life had been spent in this little town, and she still didn't even know the name. 

--- 

AN: There! There's the end for you all who I left in terrible suspense! Again, I'm sorry, but I really did think I had uploaded this part... Gomen nasai! But, didja like it? R&R people! 

-Shira ^_^ 


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